Drank: Isarweizen (Heater Allen)

American-made wheat beers tend to be dry,
hoppy and, far too often, bland. The New World cousins of traditional
German hefeweizens typically tone down the yeast’s tutti-frutti punch
while amping up the bitterness. Heater Allen built its reputation on
authentically Bohemian lagers, so it’s little surprise that the
McMinnville brewery’s first ale began with a recipe imported directly
from Germany. Lisa Allen, who brews with her father, Rick, had a college
roommate who worked at a Munich brewpub and gifted her with the formula
for this Bavarian-style wheat beer. If you’re used to Widmer or Blue
Moon, prepare yourself: The Isarweizen will thump your nostrils with the
smell of clove and then strike your tongue with the taste of banana.
It’s creamy and crisp, kind of like chewing a slice of Juicy Fruit
gum—and I mean that in the very best way. Heater Allen releases this
cloudy and refreshing quaff in the spring, but if you can track down a
leftover from last year—John’s Market had a few—it’s still in great
shape. Recommended.